Redtape Busters, Grant Writers – specialised grant writers assisting businesses and non-profit organisations all over Australia. We find relevant grants and government and philanthropic funding for individuals, non-profits and commercial enterprises. For more information, please visit - http://bit.ly/2nuWajg

1. 1P A G E
Modern PowerPoint Presentation

2. 2P A G E
The most common pitfalls in grant writing are often the easiest to avoid. When you’re pumping out
grant application after grant writing application, you can fall into the trap of overlooking the small
details that make a grant writing application stand out. With competition for grants at an all-time
high, good grant writers know that a grant application has to hit the mark every time. To ensure that
your grant applications don’t land in the reject bin every time.

3. 3P A G E
Good grant writers always do their legwork before they begin. They start by ensuring they
understand the funding body from which they are applying. This is because all funding bodies
have their own set of objectives and interests. No matter how great your project idea might be, if
it does not fit within the funder’s interests or objectives, then you are really trying to fit a square
peg in a round hole. In fact, chances are, your proposal won’t even be reviewed if it doesn’t match
the funder’s guidelines.
Failing to Prepare is Preparing to Fail
Here are grant writing pitfalls that you must avoid:

4. 4P A G E
In your haste to acquire money, don’t make the mistake of applying for grants that don’t fit your
vision and objectives. Instead, spend some time researching the funder and understand their
mission and goals. If it doesn’t line up, don’t waste your time trying to massage your proposal to
match their objectives. Funders publish their interests for a reason, and they will not change their
areas of interest based on a good project idea.

5. 5P A G E
A sure-fire way to land your proposal in the waste-paper basket is to not follow basic directions.
This is one of the most common mistakes, but also the easiest to avoid. Funding bodies receive
thousands of applications and one way they sort out the amateurs from the professionals is to see
who follows the directions. So, if they request a detailed, three-year budget, then give them one.
If they give you a word limit, stick to it. If they ask you not to put staples in your document, then
don’t. Ignoring simple instructions guarantees a rejection for your grant application. So, make
sure to follow them down to the letter.
Failing to Follow Directions

6. 6P A G E
Spending several hours doing careful proofreading might not be your idea of a good time. Spelling,
punctuation and grammar don’t come naturally to everyone. But, when it comes to grant writing,
it pays to pay someone to do it for you, especially if you don’t have the gift yourself. In fact,
getting someone to take a second look over your work makes perfect sense. Chances are, if your
grant proposal doesn’t make sense to your editor, then it won’t make sense to the funders. Get
your work checked!
Failing to Proofread Your Work

7. 7P A G E
Since a grant application is all about acquiring money, the budget section of your proposal is
perhaps the most important. Yet, it’s amazing how people can skip over this section,
approximating numbers with no research or quotes, forgetting that money is the entire point of
your application. Proposals that arrive with math errors undermine an organisation’s credibility.
Do your numbers make sense? Does your budget match the picture that the rest of your proposal
is trying to paint?
Failure to Prepare Your Budget Properly

8. 8P A G E
If the funding body is receiving hundreds of similar grants, with similar budgets, they will know if
you are trying to fudge the numbers. So, don’t pad the budget with unnecessary or inflated costs.
Research past grants that the funding body has made to similar organisations to yours to ensure
that you are not asking for too little or too much. Why not involve your business or finance
manager in the grant-writing process? Don’t put together a great proposal and then blow it with a
terrible budget.

9. 9P A G E
If you’re not having much luck with your grant applications, then consider getting some professional
help. Red Tape Busters are specialist in grant and tender writing and can help your organisation or
business win grant funding or achieve successes with tenders. Visit
http://www.redtapebusters.com/ for more information.

10. 10P A G E
We are specialists in providing the following services:
• Lobbying;
• Tender Writing;
• Grant Writing;
• Resumes/Job Applications;
• Organisational/Business Development.
Get professional help

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https://www.facebook.com/RedTapeBustersShaneBowering, follow us on Twitter – Red Tape
Busters or check us out on YouTube just search for Red Tape Busters.

12. 12P A G E
Thank You!!